Lately it seems there are days you can swing from feeling one extreme to the other. In one instant you can feel like a million bucks: in action, back at it, on top of your game — and then in the next you can feel worn out, exhausted, and like everything is a little too much.
Welcome to Late-Pandemic Living.
When we learned it wasn’t just us (and, you know, every friend we talked to), we started noticing headlines about a new phrase: “Lifestyle fatigue.”
The plague of founders and go-getters around the world, lifestyle fatigue is a chronic exhaustion that lingers emotionally and physically in people — especially now. The myriad exclamations of everyday exhaustion are passed off as complaints and short-term funks, but such an assumption dismisses a real state of prolonged weariness that has many people listless and worried.
Lifestyle fatigue includes these feelings of being stagnant, and the anxiety and gloom that comes with it. At IMPERIA HQ, we spoke of January as if we were “moving through molasses.”
It’s important to note this condition is different from depression, which is a mental health diagnosis and usually comes with feelings of sadness, low mood, hopelessness, and disinterest with other challenges. Lifestyle fatigue, however, leans more toward the feeling of being stuck.
So how do we get un-stuck?
We reviewed some tips from Psychology Today and Roubicek & Thacker Counseling to see how we might manage those feelings and take a step forward, so we’ve shared them below..
Please note: If you think you might be suffering from depression, it’s important for you to schedule time with a mental health professional to ensure you are cared for properly.
Make Changes to Your Routine
Sometimes the best solution is the simplest, and a change to your routine could lead to your way out of a rut. This could mean changing your brand of olive oil, eating in a new restaurant, or walking the other way down your street for a change.
Build Some Productive Habits
This is about the time those resolutions have started to wear off, so what small steps can you take to put (or keep) good habits in place? Or have you always wanted to take a painting class? If you’re hesitant to get out there, ask a friend to join you.
Identify Your Purpose or Make Short-Term Goals
If you’re a goal person, give yourself a goal for the month. Maybe fit in an extra 15 minutes of walking each week. Small steps forward can help you climb out of the chasm, even when you can only manage 15 minutes a week. Most importantly, know WHY you’re doing it. If the 15 minutes is for movement of your body because that will help you grow older better, then great. If it’s because you want to be one with nature, also great. Give yourself a reason.
Slack Off
We’ve been talking a lot about self-care this month (see the book that will really help here), but even if that feels like a nap, or a video game showdown (we don’t know if there’s an official name for that), do it. Giving yourself a moment to enjoy completely slacking off without worrying about other issues can do wonders to clear your mind.
The bottom line here: The cure to lifestyle fatigue lies in making a choice to care for yourself, and then taking a step forward in a positive direction to make small changes. We can all climb out of the molasses together.
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Self-Care Sunday is devoted to you, with advice, insights, and tools to create true self-care, which goes beyond a home spa day. Not that there’s anything wrong with a home spa day. We’re in the bubble bath typing this right now.